Crossbow



ill lll/ INVENTOR.

DAv|D S. BENEDIQT March 29, 1966 D. s. BENEDlcT CROSSBOW Filed OG.. 21, 1963 FIG.|.

FIG.2.

United States Patent 3,242,917 CROSSBOW David S. Benedict, 20601 Covello St., Canoga Park, Calif. Filed (Bet. 2l, 1963, Ser. No. 317,468 3 Claims. (Cl. 124-25) This invention generally relates to crossbows and more particularly concerns an improvement in crossbow design with respect to the mounting of the bow onto the stock of the crossbow.

A revival of interest has recently occurred with respect to crossbows in the United States. Although crossbows have been used for many hundreds of years in hunting and in lighting, many persons have now developed hobbies relating to using crossbows for competitive target shooting and also hunting in this country.

One problem associated with crossbows which has been a source of diiculty in the past concerns the fact that the bow string, as a consequence of the particular manner in which the bow is mounted on the stock, rides over the fletch groove or stock at a point somewhat above its normal plane. In other words, for maximum accuracy and power as well as long life, it is desirable that the plane of the bow string be the plane the bow string would normally seek without any external forces or structures being applied to it. However, with the conventional crossbow design, the bow string is forced somewhat above its normal level at the point at which it crosses the stock of the crossbow. As a consequence, the bow string frictionally engages the stock causing rubbing and a certain resistance force to the normal draw Weight of the string with an accompanying loss of accuracy in aiming and shooting the arrows.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved crossbow design embodying means for coupling the bow and stock together such that the bow string will ride in a plane across the stock which it would otherwise normally seek without any external forces or structures being applied to it.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved crossbow design in which substantially increased draw weights may be applied to the bow without the possibility of breakage, deterioration or cracking thereof.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved crossbow design which lends itself to the use of interchangeable bows of different draw weights, for example, that might be used for different purposes such as hunting or target practice.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an irnproved crossbow design and in particular a means of coupling the bow to the stock of the crossbow utilizing a minimum number of parts with a relatively low manufacturing expense and yet providing a highly accurate crossbowgwith an appreciably longer life than characterizes the conventional crossbow construction.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are generally achieved by providing a crossbow design including a curved bow extending laterally across and coupled to the stock. A bow string is connected to the ends of the bow in a conventional manner.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, a reinforcing block of wood is secured to the bottom central part of the bow at the point at which the bow is coupled to the stock` The block deiines a first notch; a second notch is dened by the stock which is designed to interlock with the first notch. Further, a recess is defined in the upper central part of the bow, and the recess has a lower planar surface which is in co-planar alignment with the bow string. Also, in accordance with the combination of the present invention, the bow defines a central iietch groove extending downwardly from the center of the planar surface; the groove is aligned with the usual lietch groove extending through the stock to the rear sighting portion of the crossbow.

By providing the reinforcing block of wood and by mounting the bow in a different manner, the present invention enables the bow string to seek a plane wherein it is not raised at the point it crosses over the stock or etch groove.

A better understanding of the present invention will be had by reference to the drawings, showing merely an illustrative embodiment, and in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of an improved crossbow embodying the present design, but not showing details of construction; and,

FIGURE 2 is a sectional View taken in the direction of the arrows 2--2 of FIGURE 1 illustrating the particular construction employed in coupling the bow to the stock in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. In this regard, FIGURE 2 is on a somewhat different scale and does not correspond in detail to certain of the angled and curved forms of FIGURE l, although it discloses the basic construction.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG- URE 1 an improved crossbow, according to the present invention, and including a stock l@ which is provided with a hand piece I1 and a shoulder piece or butt end I2.

The rear end of the stock may be provided with a sight 13 and a trigger l@ as indicated. These portions of the crossbow form no part of the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention, a bow 1S is provided which has connected to the opposing ends thereof in conventional manner a bow string 16.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, it will be seen that the l bow string I6 extends in a single plane across a recess I7 provided in the bow I5. The recess I7 deiines a lower planar surface 18 which has provided in its central portion a iletch groove 19 adapted to be aligned with the fletch groove ofthe stock I0.

In other words, the arrow being released after the bow string 16 is allowed to seek the position as shown in FIGURE l will travel along the etch groove of the stock I0 and through the groove I9 of the bow I5 before leaving the crossbow. It is, of course, essential that the fletch groove I9 be aligned with the groove of the stock. The recess I7 permits the groove I9 to be at a suiiciently low point to be aligned with the iletch groove of the stock and yet still allow the bow string 16 to be in its normal plane. However, the recess or decreased thickness of the bow might be formed by merely angling the opposing upper surfaces 15a and 15b thereof downwardly in an elongated V shape.

In accordance with an important feature of the present invention, there is provided a reinforcing wood block 20 of general wedge-shape which would normally have its edges feathered into the bottom of the bow I5. However, for purposes of illustration, it is shown in a simplified form with the angled sides as shown. The reinforcing block is glued or otherwise permanently secured to the bottom of the bow 1S in the area indicated and forms a means of increasing the thickness of the bow in its central portion at the point where it is to be mounted onto the stock 10.

Thus, the block 26 is provided with a notch 21 which is designed to lit over a notch 22 formed in the stock I0. Thus the normal depth of the stock, as indicated by the dotted lines 23 and 24, extends to the height of the planar surface I8 wherein the etch groove is formed.

The bow I5 with its reinforcing block 2) may be provided with a thickness such that it will tit snugly into the notch 22 of the stock, or may alternatively be provided wedging elements (not shown) that are forced into the notch 22 on the front and rear sides of the central interlocking portion of the bow tting into the latter notch in the stock. Furthermore, if desired, a screw may be inserted through the bottom of the stock l@ and into the bow to secure same into the stock.

Regardless of the method employed, it will be appreciated that the bow, by using the construction shown in FIGURES l and 2, may be changed very readily and a new bow replaced if desired, according to the particular draw weight required and the particular application or use for which the crossbow is to be employed.

Furthermore, as a consequence of the particular construction of mounting of the bow on the stock according to the present invention, it will be seen that the bow string 16 will lie in a single plane without being raised at the point it crosses the stock and whereby no friction resistance, or possible drag will be introduced that might interfere with the accuracy or full draw weight being imposed upon the arrow as it leaves the crossbow. This result is, in turn, achieved from the fact that the bow is mounted at a lower point with respect to the stock, which construction is feasible as a consequence of using the reinforcing block which gives further strength and resiliency to the bow at the point at which it is needed despite the decrease in thickness occurring in the central or intermediate part of the bow.

It will be appreciated that certain changes and modications may be made in the improved crossbow construction of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a crossbow: a stock; a curved bow extending laterally across and coupled to said stock; a bow string connected to the ends of said bow; a reinforcing block of wood secured to the bottom central part of said bow at the point at which said bow is coupled to said stock, said block defining a first notch; a second notch defined by said stock designed to interlock cross-wise with said first notch and, a recess defined in the upper central part of said bow, said recess having a lower planar surface in co-planar alignment with said bow string, and said bow further defining a central fletch groove extending downwardly from the center of said planar surface.

2. In a crossbow: a stock; a curved bow extending laterally across and coupled to said stock; a bow string connected to the ends of said bow; a reinforcing block of wedge-shaped piece of wood secured to the bottom central part of said bow by gluing thereto at the point at which said bow is coupled to said stock, said -block deining a rst rectangular notch; a second rectangular notch defined by said stock designed to interlock crosswise with said first notch; and a rectangular recess defined in the upper central part of said bow, said recess having a lower planar surface in coplanar alignment with said bow string, and said bow further defining a central fletch groove extending downwardly from the center of said planar surface, said fletch groove designed to be aligned with the conventional fletch groove provided in said stock.

3. An improved crossbow, according to claim 2 in which said in bow is decreased in thickness in the area in which said recess is located.

References Cited by the Examiner Build Your Own Crossbow, Sports Aeld, January 1955, pp. 54-58.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

W. R, BROWNE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A CROSSBOW: A STOCK; A CURVED BOW EXTENDING LATERALLY ACROSS AND COUPLED TO SAID STOCK; A BOW STRING CONNECTED TO THE ENDS OF SAID BOW; A REINFORCING BLOCK OF WOOD SECURED TO THE BOTTOM CENTRAL PART OF SAID BOW AT THE POINT AT WHICH SAID BOW IS COUPLED TO SAID STOCK, SAID BLOCK DEFINING A FIRST NOTCH; A SECOND NOTCH DEFINED BY SAID STOCK DESIGNED TO INTERLOCK CROSS-WISE WITH SAID FIRST NOTCH AND A RECESS DEFINED IN THE UPPER CENTRAL PART OF SAID BOW, SAID RECESS HAVING A LOWER PLANAR SURFACE IN CO-PLANAR ALIGNMENT WITH SAID BOW STIRNG, AND SAID BOW FURTHER DEFINING A CENTRAL FLETCH GROOVE EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE CENTER OF SAID PLANAR SURFACE. 